Rhetoric 105: Principles of Composition
Course description: This course will prepare you for the academic writing you are expected to produce in the university setting. You will learn to write effectively for the academic environment through the following methods: idea generation, draft organization, writing, peer review, editing, revising, revising, and revising. Along the way you will hone your critical thinking and research skills. The class will consist of in and out of class writing assignments, discussions, readings, group work, group presentations and the occasional lecture. We will focus on the different ways that we can see, understand, read, and analyze texts and cultural phenomenon.
Textbooks:
Writing Analytically 4th Edition, David Rosenwasser & Jill Stephen
Ways of Reading 7th Edition, David Bartholomae & Anthony Petrosky
Rules for Writers, 5th Edition, Diana Hacker
(optional) MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th Edition
Course Requirements:
Attendance and Participation. Coming to class on time and actively participating in discussions and activities are expected. Participation includes chiming in during class discussion, as well as actively taking part in in-class work, and coming to my office hours for discussion and help.
Readings. You will have an assigned amount of reading to complete before each class period so that we can have productive discussions. Please read the selection more than once and reflect on them in writing (a journal entry, answering discussion questions, a freewrite).
Papers. Papers are meant to give you the chance to work through the readings and explore your interests as well as practice analytical writing. These should be about 3-4 pages in length. All papers are due at the beginning of class on their assigned due date.
Analytical Research Paper. The major project this semester is the analytical research paper. This is a 10-12 page paper on a topic that you choose, research, write about and revise with your peer group. It is the model for any research papers you will be asked to do while you are in college.
Peer Review. Before the final draft of each paper is due, you have the opportunity to have your peers read and comment upon a draft. Always bring three copies of your paper to peer review: one for each of your groups members and one for yourself.
Writing Analytically Group Project. Once this semester, you and a group of 3-6 peers will lead class discussion for about 20 minutes on a particular section of Writing Analytically.
Exams. Because this a is a writing class, and because drafts and revisions are so important to the writing process, you will not sit for formal midterms or finals.
Completing all assignments and turning in all papers on time is a minimum for passing the course.
Grading Breakdown
10% Attendance and participation (possible quizzes)
10% Writing Analytically Group Project
10% Paper #1
20% Paper #2 (midterm)
20% Research Paper
20% Final Paper
Reading Schedule
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Week 1 |
Introduction to class |
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Diagnostic due |
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Berger “Ways of Seeing |
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Week 2 |
Berger “Ways of Seeing” |
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Writing Analytically—Chapter 1 |
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Writing Analytically—Chapter 2 |
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Week 3 |
Conferences and Peer Review |
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Week 4 |
Paper #1 due |
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Bordo “Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body” |
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Writing Analytically Group Project—Chapter 3 |
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Week 5 |
Bordo “Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body” |
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Writing Analytically Group Project—Chapter 4 |
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Writing Analytically Group Project—Chapter 5 |
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Week 6 |
Conferences and Peer Review |
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Week 7 |
Paper #2 due (Midterm) |
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Rosaldo “Grief and a Headhunter’s Rage” |
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Writing Analytically Group Project—Chapter 6 |
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Week 8 |
Rosaldo “Grief and a Headhunter’s Rage” |
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Writing Analytically Group Project—Chapter 7 |
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Week 9 |
Conferences |
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Rosaldo “Grief and a Headhunter’s Rage” |
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Writing Analytically Group Project—Chapter 12 |
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Week 10 |
Foucault “Panopticism” |
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Writing Analytically Group Project—Chapter 13 |
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Week 11 |
Foucault “Panopticism” |
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Week 12 |
Foucault “Panopticism” |
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Week 13 |
Research Paper Peer Review |
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Research Paper due |
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Week 14 |
“Introduction: Ways of Reading” Bartholomae and Petrosky |
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Week 15 |
Peer review |